Label-wiping means for labeling machines



p 1961 s. 'r. CARTER 3,001,660

LABEL-WIPING MEANS FOR LABELING MACHINES Filed Jan. 24, 1958 4Sheets-Sheet 1 W W W Z 4 6 5 A E Q Q Zara/afar Jzdrggyfilavfar Sept. 26,1961 5, CARTER 3,001,660

LABEL-WIPING MEANS FOR LABELING MACHINES Filed Jan. 24, 1958 4Sheets-Sheet 2 WWW M V fl,.,/ TM 2 w Ji W j M ollll l vl is I 1 a /u @mi u m WP w n 7/ //d n Sept. 26, 1961 s. T. CARTER LABEL-WIPING MEANS FORLABELING MACHINES Fild Jan. 24, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 fzzz'ewor (aw 1.[Q2567 i 9 02AM M7526, I;

Sept. 26, 1961 s. 'r. CARTER 3,001,660

LABEL-WIPING MEANS FOR LABELING MACHINES Filed Jan. 24, 1958 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Jada e7 Z7 daifier United States Patent 6 3,001,660LABEL-WHING MEANS FOR LABELING MACHINES Sidney T. Carter, Shrewsbury,Mass., assignor to Geo. J.

Meyer Manufacturing Co., Cudahy, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin FiledJan. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 710,958 12 Claims. (Cl. 156440) This inventionpertains to labeling machines and, more especially, to apparatus forwiping down the opposite ends of a label of the wrap-around type, thatis to say, a label which extends more than one-half the Way. around thearticle which is being labeled, and including labels which extend allthe way around the article. Labels of this type are commonly applied tobottle necks, for instance to the neck portions of ketchup bottles.

While certain features of the invention are of broader utility, theinvention is herein described by way of example as embodied in a machinedesigned simultaneously to apply an ordinary label and a wrap-aroundlabel. Hereinafter, for convenience, but without limitation, the articleto which the label is to be applied will be referred to as a bottle. Thelabeling machine to which the wiping mechanism is applied is hereinshown by way of example, but without limitation, as of the type whereinthe bottles are moved along a predetermined path, for instance arectilinear path, by suitable conveyor means. Such a machine isillustrated, for example, in the patent to Holm, No. 2,026,172, datedDecember 31, 1935, or, for further example, in the patent to Sidney T.Carter, No. 2,665,025, dated January 5, 1954.

It is a common practice, in applying labels to articles, first tocontact the mid-portion of the adhesively-coated label with the articleat one dwell point, by means of a transfer device, for example, aconventional suction grip finger, and then to apply pressure, forinstance, by means of a yieldable pressure-type wiper pad, at asuccessive dwell point, for bringing the entire label into adhesivecontact with the bottle. However, this usual pressure type wiper, whichmoves radially with reference to the bottle, does not sufiice to carrythe end portions of a wrap around label into contact with what here maybe termed the rear side of the bottle, and especially when such endportions must be overlapped. To accomplish this operation, it isnecessary to employ wiper means in addition to or in substitution forthe pressure-type wiper, for example wiper elements movable in oppositedirections about the bottle and which, in succession, engage and wipedown the opposite end portions of the label.

The present invention has for a general object the provision of novelwiper means for applying wrap-around labels to bottles.

Another object of the present invention is to provide label-wiping meanswhich is of simple construction but which accurately places the endportions of the labels without smearing the bottle. A further object isto provide improved wiping means in an embodiment such that it may beinstalled without substantial difficulty in existing labeling machinesand without requiring substantial modification of the latter.

For the attainment of the objects of the invention, the labeling machinehere disclosed is of the kind which is designed to apply a body label orlabels to a bottle and also to apply to the neck portion of the bottle alabel which embraces the neck portion through an arc substantiallyexceeding 180, including situations Where the ends of the label arerequired to overlap and wherein the bottles to be labeled stand uprightin spaced relation upon a moving conveyor which advances the bottlesintermittently along a predetermined rectilinear path from one labelwiping station to another, at each of which the bottle dwells, andwherein, at each of two successive label wiping stations, horizontallymovable carriers, each supporting a pressure-type wiper-pad operative topress a body label into adhering contact with the body of the bottle,are arranged at opposite sides respectively of the conveyor path, andwherein mechanical devices move the wiper-pad carriers at opposite sidesof the conveyor path, at each respective wiper station toward theconveyor path, while the bottle dwells at said station, so as to clampthe bottle between them and hold it stationary during the wipingoperation, and wherein, before a bottle reaches the first one of saidstations, a label-aflixing element, located at one side of said path,functions to contact the central portion only of an adhesively coatedneck label with the neck portion of the bottle, leaving the oppositeends of the neck label projecting in widely divergent relation towardthe opposite side of the conveyor path, and wherein, at the oppositeside of said conveyor path from said label aifixing element, two rotarywiper brushes are located, one at each, respectively, of said twosuccessive wiper stations, and wherein power driven mechanism turns thetwo brushes in opposite directions so that one brush is effective towipe one end portion of a neck label about a bottle neck while thebottle dwells at the first of said wiper stations, and the other wiperbrush is efiective to wipe the other end of the same neck label aboutthe bottle while the latter dwells at the next wiping station. Inaccordance with the present invention, the wiper pad carrier at one sideof the conveyor path at each of said stations, respectively, supportsone of the wiper brushes, while the wiper pad carrier at the oppositeside of the conveyor path at each of said stations, respectively,supports a nozzle, both nozzles being at the same side of said path asthe label affixing element, and both brushes being at the opposite sideof said path from said aflixing element, each nozzle being arranged todeliver a jet of air in 'a direction to initiate the curling of thecorresponding end of the neck label about the bottle neck prior to itscontact by the wiper brush.

The invention will be pointed out in detail in the following moredetailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawingwherein FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view, to small scale, showing alabeling machine of a type in which the improved neck-wiping means ofthe present invention is useful;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic front elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 1;1

FIG. 3 is a vertical section, to larger scale, substantially on the line3-3 of FIG. 2, showing the location of the improved wiping means inrelation to the other parts of the labeling machine and showing a pairof conventional pressure-type, body label wipers, and means fortransmitting motion from the main shaft to the several wiping devices;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view partly in horizontal section, showingthe improved neck-wiping means of the present invention, this viewshowing the initial and final Wiping devices as located at twosuccessive wiping stations of the machine;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan View illustrating a pair of body labelwipers of conventional pressure type disposed in wiping position andshowing the central portion of a neck label as having been adhered tothe front side of the bottle neck;

FIG. 6 is a plan view, partly in horizontal section, showing the supportfor one of the brush wipers and its actuating gears;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in vertical 1 section, showingthe means for turning the brush wipers;

FIG. 3a is a fragmentary vertical section showing details of a valveforming part of the mechanism of FIG. 8;

FIG. 8b is a fragmentary vertical section showing another'valve embodiedin the mechanism of FIG. .8;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of one of the wiper brushes;

FIG. 10 is an elevation showing the hub portion of one of the wiperbrushes but without the bristles;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a cover plate for the gears of thegbrush wiperat the first wiping station; and

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the cover plate for the gears of the brushwiper of the second wiping station.

While the apparatus herein disclosed is described as a matter ofconvenience, with particular reference to its utility for applyingwrap-around neck labels to bottles, and although bottles are the onlyarticles specifically referred to as those to which labels are appliedby the mechanism, it is to be understood that the apparatus. disclosedis useful in applying wrap-around labels to articles other than bottlesand that wherever herein reference is made to bottles, it is to beunderstood that the term bottle is not to be regarded as a limitationupon the scope of the invention.

Since the apparatus of the present invention relates specifically toimproved means for applying wrap-aroundlabels, it has not been deemednecessary to describe the labeling machine itself in detail, it beingunderstood that the machine will comprise the usual devices, for examplemagazines for the labels, gum-applying means, pickers, hold-down devicesfor the bottle tops, and, so far as the body labels are concerned, wipermeans Of the generally conventional type, and that all of these variousoperative parts will be actuated in properly timed rela tion byconventional motion-transmitting means driven by a main shaft whichturns once for each cycle of O P. eration. Such a machine is disclosedby way of example in United States Letters Patent No. 2,665,025, datedJanuary 5, 1954. Moreover, while herein the invention is shown asembodied in a machine of the so-called straight-away type, the inventionin its broader aspects may be applicable to other types of labelingmachines.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is diagrammatically illustrateda straight-away labeling machine of the general type, more fullydescribed in the patent to Carter, Patent No. 2,665,025, January 5,1954. This machine, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, has the table T which issupported upon legs M and which has guides tor a rectilinear conveyor Cupon which the bottles stand as they are moved from the receiving end S.of the machine to the delivery end D. Suitable stationary guard rails Gprevent the bottles from tipping as they are moved along by theconveyor, the latter being of a type which moves successive bottlesstepeby-step intermittently. In FIG. 1, a gumming and label-applyingstation is indicated at Z and beyond this in the direction of movementof the conveyor, the table of the machine carries a plurality of labelwiper stands, those at one side of the article path being indicatedgenerally by the character W and those at the other side of the articlepath being desig; nated W, W and WK. The neck label-wiping apparatus ofthe present invention is associated with the wipers VI and VV.

Referring to FIG. 3, the numeral designates a sta-. tionary, horizontalguide carried by the machine frame in which there is arranged to. slidethe horizontal wiper carrier 21. This wiper carrier- 21 is provided witha head 22 at its right-hand end, as viewed in FIG, 3, to. which there isremovably secured the wiper support 23 which carries the pressure-typebody label wiper pad 24 (FIG. 5), this wiper being of the pressure typeand, as here illustrated, being arranged to contacta label adherent tothe rear side of a bottle B as the latter moves along the conveyor path.As-illustrated' in FIGS. 3, and; 5, there is also provided ahorizontally movable wiper carrier 21 like the carrier 21, and which hasa head 2% to which is removably secured. the wiper support 23f carryingthe;

pressure-type wiper pad 24 which is designed to contact a label adheringto the front face of the body of the bot tle, it being understoodthatthe arrangement shown is such as to be capable of applying labelsboth to the front and rear of the bottle body, if desired; or, that, ifonly one body label be applied, then the idle wiper will act as anabutment to support the bottle during the application of the label toits opposite side. It will be understood that similar carriers and wiperpads are located at each of the stations W, W and W.

The means for actuating the wiper carriers 21 and 21*- at each stationis substantially like that shown in the patent to Carter, referred toabove, In FIG. 3, the main shaft of the machine is indicated at 25, theshaft turning in bearings in brackets T depending from table T. On thisshaft, two earns 26 are fixed. These cams are arranged to rock; two bellcrank levers 27 which are pivotally supported at 28' and 28respectively, at the rear and front of the machine upon suitablebrackets 29 carried by the table T, these levers having arms 30 and 30%,respectively, which extend upwardly above the table and to whose upperends links 31, only one of which is shown, are pivotally connected, thelinks also being pivotally connected to the respective carriers 21 and21*. Thus, as the shaft 25 turns the presser pads 24 and 24 are movedsimultaneously toward and away from the article path defined by theconveyor C. Obviously the cams are so contoured that the advance of thecarriers toward the article path is terminated as the pressure pads 24and 24* come into operative relation to the article, so that, althoughthe paths of the carriers 21 and 21 are here referred to as transverseto the article path, the pressure pads and the rotary wipers hereafterdescribed never cross the longitudinal center line of the article pathand the axes of the wiper brushes are fixed, in definite relation to theaxes of the clamped bottles, while t e lab s re e n p It will beunderstood that before the pads 24 and 24 are moved. toward the bottleat station W, the body label or labels will have been taken from themagazine or magazines, their surfaces treated to make them adhesive, andthat their center portions, at least, will have been affixed to the.body portion of the bottle; likewise, it will be understood that, beforethe presser pads 24 and 24 startto move toward each other, a neck labelL will likewise have been taken from a suitable magazine, caused tobecome adhesive, and moved toward the article path until the centerportion of its adhesively-coated side has been afiirred to the neck N ofthe bottle at the front side of the, neck, leaving the opposite ends Eand E (FIG. 5.) of the label standing outwardly away from the bottleneck and projects toward the opposite side of the article path, usuallyata wide obtuse angle to each other.

In accordance with the present invention, the neck label wiping means isso devised as towipe one end of the label into contact with the bottleneck while the bottle dwells at the wiping station W (FIG. 4) and thento wipe the other end of the same label into contact with the bottleneck while the bottle dwells at the station W While the stations W and Wat which the successive wiping operations take place are here describedand illustrated as being adjacent stations, it will be understood thatif, for any reason,.a longer period between successive wiping operationsbe desired, the, stations W and may be spaced further apart. Since thespacing of adjacent wiper stations may be established existing machines,and since the neck-wiping mechanism of the present invention may occupymore space lengthwise of the conveyor than conventional wipers, thecarriers for wiper devices at stations. W and W may be disposed indivergent relation as shown in: FIG. 4, this arrangement, in respect tothe specific mechanism here, described, also serving: to preventengagement of the driving rack with thegear to wh chr he br sh s e urSince Wiper mechanisms. at stations W andW are substantially alike, itis unnecessary to describe each independently, except as to specificfeatures of difference, it being assumed, as respects FIG. 5, that thebody label wipers, there shown, are at the station W, just precedingstation N at which the first neck label-wiping operation takes place,but that a similar set of body label wipers is located at each ofstations W and W.

Referring to FIG. 3, it may be noted that a vertical plate 33 is fixedto the left-hand end portion of the wiper carrier 21. This plate 33 hasan opening which receives a shoulder bolt 34 (FIG. 4) to which there issecured one end of a rod 35 (FIG. 4) whose opposite end hasscrew-threaded engagement with a nipple 36 forming an integral part of asupport 37 (FIG. 6) which rests upon the preser pad support 23 (RIG. 3)and which is secured to the latter by bolts passing through holes 38(FIG. 5) in the presser pad support, the member 37 having vertical boreholes 38 and 39 (FIG. 6) in which are fixed parallel, vertical, stubshafts 40 and 41 (FIG. 3). A gear 42 (FIG. 3) is mounted to turn on thefixed shaft 40 and this gear meshes with a rack 43 (FIG. 4) on one endof a piston rod 45 which extends through a bushing 46 (FIG. 4) in onehead of a cylinder 48, the rod carrying a piston head 47 within thecylinder. At its left-hand end, as viewed in FIG. 4, the cylinder 48 isprovided with spaced cars 49 having aligned openings through which a pin50 passes, the ears 49 being disposed at opposite sides of the plate 33(FIG. 3) and the pin forming a pivotal connection between the cylinderand the plate whereby the right-hand end of the cylinder may rockvertically to accommodate bottles of different heights. The plate 33 hasa series of openings into any one of which the pin 50 may be enteredthereby to vary the vertical position of the pivotal axis of thecylinder.

On the fixed vertical shaft 41, a second gear 51 (FIG. 3) is arranged toturn, this gear meshing with the gear 42, the two gears being here shownas of the same pitch diameter. The gear 51 has a long integral sleeve orhub portion 52 to whose upper end there is fixed the hub 53 of one ofthe neck label-wiping brushes. This hub, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and10, is split at 54 and is provided with belt holes for the reception ofa clamping bolt 55 (FIG. 3) by means of which the hub may be adjustablyfixed to the sleeve portion 52 of the gear 51. The brush hub, as shownin FIG. 10, comprises a segmental portion 56 provided with holes 57 inwhich are set the tufts 53 of brush bristles. As here shown, the brushis of an arcuate extent, not substantially exceeding 90.

FIG. 4 shows in plan, the two wiper brushes, one at the wiping station Wand the other at the wiping station W These stations correspond to thepositions, respectively, of two successive bottles as they stand atsuccessive dwell points along the article path. In FIG. 4, the necks oftwo such bottles are indicated at N and N respectively. It will be notedthat, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the pressure motors for turning thebrushes (that is to say, the cylinders 48 with their pistons) associatedwith the two brushes, respectively, are arranged in divergent relation.However, such an arrangement is not essential to the invention.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the support 37 is provided with avertical stub shaft 44 on which there is mounted a roll 44 (FIG. 4)which engages the rear or smooth side of the rack 43. The support 37 isalso provided with a horizontal opening in which there is fixed a stubshaft 46 (FIG. 6) upon which is mounted a roll 47 which is disposedbeneath the rack 43, :thus providing a support for the latter.

A guard plate 59 (FIGS. 4 and 11) is arranged at station \V to overliethe gears 40 and 51, this guard plate being provided with an opening 52through which the sleeve member of the gear 5-1 passes, the guard platebeing provided with an opening 60 which receives a screw 60 (FIG. 4)which enters a bore in the upper end an extension 61 (FIG. 11) uponwhich is mounted a brush guard 63 (FIG. 4) whose purpose will bedescribed hereafter. Another guard 59 (FIG. 12) is arranged to overliethe gears 40 and 51 of the brush assembly at station W this guard 59having the opening 52 for the passage of the sleeve 52 of thecorresponding gear 51 but being without any means for supporting a guardsimilar to the guard 63 since, at this station, such a guard is notnecessary.

Associated with each of the brush assemblies at stations W md Wrespectively, there is a bracket 64 (FIG. 3) mounted on the forwardpresser pad support 23 and upon each of these brackets, there is mountedan air delivery nozzle, these nozzles being indicated at 65 and 65 FIG.4. Each nozzle is so arranged as to direct a blast of air in a directiongenerally tangential to the peripheral surface of the neck of a bottlestanding at the stations W and W respectively. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4,wherein one end of the neck label L at station W is shown in brokenlines (that is to say, in its initial position), this end E is shown infull lines as having been bent rearwardly about the bottle neck by ablast of air from the nozzle 65. In the same view, the end B of the necklabel L at station W is shown in broken lines in its initial positionand in full lines in the position which it takes in response to a blastof air delivered from the nozzle 65.

The two fluid-pressure motors 48 (FIGS. 4 and 8) are provided with portsnear their opposite ends and to these ports (FIG. 8) pipes 66 and 67 areconnected, these pipes being flexible to permit the pressure motors tomove in and out toward and away from the label path as they are carriedby the reciprocating pad supports 23. These pipes 66 and 67 areconnected to the casing of a control valve V (FIG. 8), this casing beinggenerally cylindrical and having ports at 68 and 69 to which the pipes66 and 67, respectively, are connected. Within this casing, there isarranged a spool-shaped, balanced-type piston valve 70, having thespaced heads 71 and 72. The interior of this casing of valve V isdivided by a septum 73 having a central opening'through which passes thestem 74 of the valve 70. A pilot valve or piston 75 is connected to thelefthand end of the stem 74. A spring 75 is arranged to bear againstthis piston and against the septum 73, thus tending to move the rod 74,the piston head 75 and the balanced valve 70 toward the left as shown inFIG. 8. The valve 70 is provided with a passage 71*- which extends fromthe right-hand side of the head 72 through the central portion of thevalve and to the peripheral surface of the valve head 71. The casing ofthe control valve V- has a port 77 leading from its right-hand end andto which is connected an exhaust pipe 78. The casing of the valve V hasa port 79 which is always located between the heads 71 and 72 of thebalanced valve 70, and a port 76 which opens into the space within thecasing of valve V to the left of the pilot valve piston 75. A flexiblepipe 80 is connected to the port 79, this pipe being connected to an airsupply pipe 81 leading from any suitable source of compressed air,preferably with a pressure-regulating valve 82 interposed between thesupply and the pipe 80. A pipe 83 branches from the pipe 80 beyond thedelivery end of the valve 82 and supplies air to a timing valve V fromwhich a pipe 87 leads to a quick relief valve V (FIG. 8*). From thelatter, a flexible pipe 101 leads to the port 76 of the valve V. Thevalve V is normally closed but is opened by inward movement of a pin 91which contacts an actu ating lever 92 having a cam roll 93 which engagesa cam 94 fixed to the main shaft 25. The valve V is a conventionalvalve, comprising a casing 95 having therein a chamber 96 from which adelivery passage 97 leads, the receiving end of this passage beingdefined by the annular valve seat 98. This passage 97 discharges into anexhaust pipe 100. Within the chamber 96, there is arranged a disc valve99 which normally rests on the of the stationary stub shaft 40. Thisguard plate 59 has 15 seat 98 and thus closes the entrance to passage97. The

101, as referred to above, leads from the chamber As shown in FIG. 3, apipe 105, which branches from pipe 80 (FIG. 8), leads to a valve V whichmay be similar to the valve V above described. This valve V is normallyclosed, but when open supplies air to the nozzles 65 and 65 throughflexible tubes 105 (FIG. 3). This valve V has an actuating stem 108which engages a lever 109 having a roll 110 at its upper end, and thisroll contacts the head 111 of a yieldable actuator pin mounted in abracket carried by the arm -30 which actuates the support for theforward presser pad 24 The yielding connection at this point permits theabnormal swing inwardly of arm 30 if no bottle is in the wipingposition.

Valve V is'normally closed so that no air is delivered from the supplyto the exhaust valve V Under these conditions, spring 75 holds pilotpiston 75 in the position shown in FIG. 8, any air which'may have beentrapped at the left-hand side of pilot piston 75 having lifted valvedisc 99 from its seat and escaped through the pipe 100 as the piston 75is moved to the left. When balanced valve 70 is positioned as shown inFIG. 8, air from the supply has passed from port 79, around themid-portion of valve 70 to port 68 and through the pipe 66 totheleft-hand ends of both cylinders 48 and has moved the pistons 47 -tothe right. The two racks 43 have thus been moved to the right and haveturned both brush wipers in the reverseor idle direction. While soturning, the brush wipers are in retracted position'because of outwardmovement-(that is to say, motion to the left as viewed in FIG. 3) of thewiper supports 33 so that the brushes do not contact any bottle whilemaking their reverse rotation. During the movement of the pistons 47 tothe right, the right-hand ends of cylinders 48 were open to exhaust 78through the pipe 67 and port 69.

Assuming now that bottles B and B are dwelling at the stations I and IIand that the earns 26 start to move the wiper supports 23 and 23 intoward the article path, the plunger 111, carried by the lever arm 30,will open the valve V and compressed air from the supply will bedelivered by each of the nozzles 65 and 65 The blast from nozzle 65 willdeflect the end B of label L from the broken line position (FIG. 4)approximately to the full line position; while, the blast from thenozzle 65 will deflect the end B of the label L from the broken lineposition approximately to the full line position. As thus positioned,the ends E and E of the two labels are in readiness for the operation ofthe brush wipers. When the carriers 21 and 21 reach their innermostpositions, the body label wiper pads firmly clamp the bottle betweenthem, holding the bottle with its axis vertical while the end of theneck label is being wiped into place. At this instant or slightlybefore, a high portion of the cam 94 (FIG. 8) contacts roll 93 andthereby opens the valve V thus allowing compressed air to how throughthe pipe 87 and around the edges of the valve disc 99 to the pipe 101and thence to the port 76. This air forces the pilot piston 75 to theright so that air from the supply may now enter pipe 67, while theleft-hand ends of the cylinders 48 are now connected tothe exhaust 78 bypipe 66, port 68 and passage 71. Pistons 47 of the two pressure motorsnow move to the left, moving the racks 43 to the left and turning thebrush wipers in the operative or wiping direction. Since the-wipersupports 23 and 23 have now been moved to the position shown in FIG. 5,the brush wipers engage the ends E and E of the labels L and Lrespectively, and wipe said ends snugly about the bottle neck. Since thebottle is now clamped with its axis in a definite fixed position andsince the wiper axis occupies a predetermined fixed position while theend of the label is being wiped, the distance between said axes does notvary during the wiper operation. During the wiping of the label L by thewiper brush at station W, the guard 63 prevents the brush bristles fromcontacting the gummed surface of the end portion E of the label L Nosuch guard is necessary in association with the other brush wiper atstation W which, at this time, wipes in the end of the label L As may beappreciated by inspection of FIG. 3,'the contact of the pressure pad 24with the article represents the inward limit of motion of the carriage21 so that the of the wiper brush always remains at the same side of aline tangent to the necks of succesive bottles as they'move one afteranother along the article path.

As the brush Wipers complete their wiping operation, the cams 26 beginto retract the supports 23 and 23 The valve V closes, cutting off airfrom the nozzles; the roll 93 drops onto a lower part of the cam 94; thevalve V closes; the spring 75 moves the pilot piston 75 to the left; thepistons 47 of the pressure motors move to the right carrying the racks43 with them thereby turningthe brush wipers in reverse or idledirection and so restoring the parts to the position shown in FIG. 4,thus completing a cycle of operations in which the first end of thelabel L is wiped onto the neck N of the bottle at station W while, thesecond end E of the label L is wiped about the neck of the bottle atstation W. The conveyor now advances the bottles so that the bottlewhich was at station W is moved to the station W while, another bottleis brought to rest at the station W and the above cycle is repeated.

While the motors for turning the wiper brushes are here shown as ofpressure-fluid type, it is to be understood thatmotors of other types,mounted upon the brush carriers, may be employed, if desired, withappropriate means, actuated by the mian shaft, for controlling them;and, although but one embodiment of the invention has herein beendisclosed by way of example, it is to be understood that the inventionis broadly in elusive of any and all modifications falling Within thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A labeling machine of the kind which is capable of applying to theneck portion of a bottle a label which embraces the neck portion throughan arc exceeding 360, and wherein bottles to be labeled stand upright inspaced relation upon a conveyor which advances the bottlesintermittently along a rectilinear path from one operating station toanother at each of which a bottle dwells, and wherein neck labels areremoved, one after another, from a magazine located at one side of saidpath and each is coated on one face with adhesive in readiness to beapplied to the bottle neck, and wherein, at a dwell station which abottle reaches before arriving at the first of two lebel wipingstations, a label-applying element, located at one side of said path andwhich moves substantially horizontally for applying the label, functionsto contact the central portion only of the adhesively coated face of aneck label with the neck portion of the bottle, leaving the oppositeends of the neck label projecting in divergent relation toward the otherside of the conveyor path, characterized in that, at the last-named sideof the conveyor path, that is, at the opposite side from saidlabel-applying element, there are two rotary wipers located, one ateach, respectively, of two wiping stations, and power driven mechanismwhich turns the two wipers in directions such that one wiper isefiiective to wipe one end portion of the neck label about a bottle neckwhile the bottle dwells at the first of the wiping stations, and theother wiper is effective to wipe the other end of the same neck labelabout the bottle while the latter dwells at the other of said wipingstations.

2. A labeling machine according to claim 1,, and

which is designed to apply a body label or labels as well as a necklabel, and wherein, at each of the aforesaid wiping stations,horizontally movable carriers, each supporting an article-clampingelement are arranged at opposite sides respectively, of the conveyorpath, and wherein mechanical devices simultaneously move the carriers atopposite sides of the conveyor path, at each respective wiping station,toward the conveyor path while a bottle dwells at said station so as toclamp the bottle and hold it stationary during the wiping operation,further characterized in that at each of said wiping stations each ofthose carriers which is located at the opposite side of the conveyorpath from the label-applying element, supports a rotary wiper brush.

3. A labeling machine according to claim 2, further characterized inthat, for turning the wiper brushes, a reversible motor is mounted uponthe wiper pad carrier which supports each respective brush.

4. A labeling machine according to claim 3, and wherein the machine hasa rotating shaft which turns once during each cycle of the machine, andwherein the mechanism for moving the carriers comprises cams on saidshaft, further characterized in that a cam, mounted on said shart,controls the operation of both motors, the several cams being soconstructed and arranged that each brush turns in the idle or reversedirection while the respective carrier upon which it is mounted ismoving away from the conveyor path, thereby to prevent contact of thereversely rotating brush with the label.

5. A labeling machine according to claim 3, and wherein the machine hasa rotating shaft which turns once during each cycle of the machine,further characterized in that each brush-actuating motor is a fluidpressure motor, a flexible conduit, controlled by a valve, is operativeto supply pressure fluid to the motors, and a cam of appropriate contouris so mounted upon said rotary shaft as to open said valve thereby tosupply pressure fluid to the motors and thereby turn the brushes inlabel-wiping direction as the wiper-pad carriers, upon which the brushesare mounted, start toward the conveyor path.

6. A labeling machine according to claim 2, further characterized inthat each of those wiper-pad carriers which is located at the oppositeside of the path from the rotary brushes supports a nozzle, both nozzlesbeing at the same side of said path as the label-applying element, eachnozzle being arranged to deliver a jet of air in a direction to initiatethe bending of the corresponding end of the neck label about the bottleneck just prior to its contact by the wiper brush.

7. A labeling machine according to claim 6, and wherein a valve controlsthe supply of compressed air to each respective nozzle, furthercharacterized in that a part, which moves with the wiper-pad carriersand upon which the respective nozzle is mounted, opens said valve as thecarrier starts toward the conveyor path.

8. A labeling machine according to claim 2, further characterized inhaving a guard mounted upon the wiperpad carrier which supports therotary wiper brush which first contacts the label, the guard being soarranged as to prevent said brush from contacting the adhesively coatedsurface of that end of the label which will be wiped by the other brushat the next wiping station.

9. In a labeling machine of the kind wherein articles are movedintermittently and in succession along a predetermined path from onedwell point to another and which includes means located at one side ofsaid path and at one dwell point for applying the central portion onlyof an adhesively coated label to the article, leaving the end portionsof the label projecting from the article toward the other side of saidpath in divergent relation, in combination, means located at the sameside of the article path as the applying means, but at dwell pointsbeyond that at which the label is applied, respectively, for deflectingprojecting end portions of the labels in directions such that they aresubstantially normal to the article path, and mechanical means, locatedat the opposite side of the article path from the applying means,capable of wiping said deflected end portions of the label, one afterthe other, into overlapping contact with the article, said deflectingmeans comprising a pair of nozzles located at the same side of the pathas the label-applying means, means operative, at times, to deliver ablast of air from each of the respective nozzles, the nozzles being sorelatively arranged that air blasts delivered by the respective nozzlescontact opposite end portions of the label and deflect said end portionstoward the article, and means for determining the times at which saidblasts of air are delivered.

10. A labeling machine of the kind which is designed to apply a bodylabel or labels to a bottle and which is also capable of applying to theneck portion of the bottle a label which embraces the neck portionthrough an are such that the ends of the label are overlapped, andwherein the bottles to be labeled stand upright and in spaced relationwhile being moved intermittently along a predetermined rectilinear pathfrom one label-wiping station to another, at each of which the bottledwells, and wherein, at each of two spaced-apart label-wiping stations,bottleclamping elements are arranged at opposite sides respectively, ofthe conveyor path, and wherein mechanical devices move the clampingelements at each respective wiping station toward the conveyor pathwhile the bottle dwells at said station, thereby to clamp the bottlebetween them and hold it stationary during the wiping operation, andwherein applying means, located at one side of the article path,contacts adhesively coated surfaces of bottle and neck labels with thebody and neck respectively, before the bottle arrives at the first ofsaid wiping stations, characterized in having means located at theopposite side of the article path from the applying means for wiping theend portions of the neck label, one after the other, into overlappingcontact with the bottle neck.

11. In a labeling machine of the kind which is designed to apply a bodylabel or labels to a bottle and also to apply to the neck portion of thebottle a label which embraces the neck portion through an aresubstantially exceeding 180, and wherein the bottles to be labeled standupright and in spaced relation while being moved intermittently along apredetermined rectilinear path from one label wiping station to another,at each of which the bottle dwells, and wherein at each of twosuccessive label-wiping stations two horizontally movable carriers, eachsupporting a bottle clamping element, are arranged at opposite sidesrespectively of the conveyor path, and wherein mechanical devices movethe carriers at opposite sides of the conveyor path at each respectivewiper station toward the conveyor path while the bottle dwells at saidstation, thereby to clamp the bottle between them and hold it stationaryduring the wiping operation, and wherein picker means takes body andneck labels from appropriate magazines, gum-applying means causes onesurface of each label to become adhesive, and wherein label-applyingmeans, located at one side of the article path, contacts the adhesivesurfaces of the body and neck labels with the body and neck,respectively, of a bottle before the bottle arrives at the first of saidwiping stations, and having wiper means, at the same side of the articlepath as the applying means, operative to exert pressure to a body labelto adhere it firmly and smoothly on the bottle, in combination, meanslocated at the opposite side of the article path from the applying meansfor wiping the end portions of the neck label, one after the other, intosmooth contac with the bottle neck, said latter wiping means comprisinga pair of rotary wipers spaced apart along the article path, one locatedrespectively, at each of two successive wiping stations, both of saidwipers being at the same side of the article path, means for moving therotary wipers bodily toward and from the article path, transversely ofthe latter, means for turning the rotary wipers while they are at theirnearest aproach to the article path in such direct tions that one end ofthe neck label is contacted and wiped down by one of the rotary wipersand thereafter the opposite end of the neck label is contacted and wipeddown by the other of said rotary wipers, and means operative to guardthe brush which engages the first end of the label to be wiped fromcontact with the adhesive coating on the other end of the label.

12. A labeling machine of the kind which is designed to apply a bodylabel or labels to a bottle and which is also capable of applying to theneck portion of the bottle a label which embraces the neck portionthrough an arc exceeding 360, and wherein the bottles to be labeledstand upright in spaced relation upon a moving conveyor which advancesthe bottles intermittently along a predetermined path frorn one labelwiping station to another, at each of which the bottle dwells, andwherein, at each of two successive label wiping stations, horizontallymovable carriers, each supporting a pressuretype wiper pad operative topress a body label into adhering contact with the body of the bottle,are arranged at opposite sides respectively of the conveyor path, andwherein mechanical devices move the wiper pad carriers at opposite sidesof the conveyor path, at each respective wiper station toward theconveyor path, while the bottle dwells at said station, so as to clampthe bottle between them, and hold it stationary during the wipingoperation, and wherein, before a bottle reaches the first one of saidstations, a label applying element, located at one side of said path,functions to contact the central portion only of an adhesively coatedneck label with the neck portion of the bottle, leaving the oppositeends of the neck label projecting in widely divergent relation towardthe opposite side of the conveyor path, and wherein, at the oppositeside of said conveyor path from said label applying element, two rotarywiper brushes are located, one at each, respectively, of said twosuccessive'wipers stations, and wherein power driven mechanism turns thetwo brushes in opposite directions so that one brush is elfective towipe one end portion of a neck label about a bottle neck while thebottle dwells at the first of said wiper stations, and the other wiperbrush is effective to wipe the other end of the same'neck label aboutthe bottle while the latter dwells at the next wiping station,characterized in that at each of said wiping stations the wiper padcarrier at one side of the conveyor path supports one, respectively, ofthe wiper brushes, while the wiper pad carrier at the opposite side ofthe conveyor path at each of said stations, respectively, supports anozzle, both nozzles being at the same side of said path as the labelapplying element, and both brushes being at the opposite'side of saidpath from said applying element, each nozzle being arranged to deliver ajet of air in a direction to initiate the curling of the correspondingend of the neck label about the bottle neck prior to its contact by thewiper brush.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,596,372 Oslund et a1 Aug. 17, 1926 1,790,594 Oslund Jan. 27, 19311,871,677 Errnold Aug. 16, 1932 1,922,577 Fenner Aug. 15, 1933 2,015,597Holm Sept. 24, 1935 2,363,866 Humphner Nov. 28, 1944 2,495,003 Haas Jan.17, 1950 2,570,434 Dow et al Oct. 9, 1951 2,601,934 Tess July 1, 1952FOREIGN PATENTS 321,437 Great Britain Nov. 11, 1929

